Paradise Lost
by detente
Summary: Something strange is happening on a holiday island, and Linka’s cousin seems to be at the centre of it all…
1. Chapter 1

To show that I actually do appreciate your nice comments, I'm writing yet another fic. Obviously Wheeler/Linka-based. It won't be as long as the previous one, though…at least I don't think so, but I may get carried away…. Don't say I'm not good to you…:-p.

Don't own the characters; not making any money off this etc.

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"Holy crap, this place is nice!" Wheeler exclaims appreciatively.

"Yeah," Gi agrees. "Linka your cousin is really lucky living here."

"Well, you know, she does have to _work_," I point out. But I have to agree with my friends. Looking around at the opulent lobby of the Royal Kanapa Hotel, I think how fortunate Valentina has always been. Her life has always been pretty much perfect. And now, she is a manager for a five star luxury hotel right on the beaches of a Pacific paradise.

"We must remember to thank her for her hospitality," Kwame reminds us. For once, he looks incredibly relaxed, lounging in one of the plush sofas.

"Not to mention Gaia for sending us here!" Ma-Ti jokes.

"It's not like we haven't earned a break…" Wheeler mutters. "Now, tell me, babe…" He turns to me and, grinning, slings an arm around my shoulder. "Does your cousin look anything like you?"

Typical Wheeler. I shrug off his arm.

"No," I reply. _She's a thousand times prettier. _"You'll find out for yourself," I add, before he can respond.

As if on cue, a tall, svelte woman emerges from behind a heavy oak door to our left, talking animatedly on her mobile phone. She is wearing a sleek navy blue suit that matches her eyes perfectly, and her thick, black hair is immaculately styled, every strand falling where it should be on her shoulders.

I roll my eyes as I see Wheeler immediately sit up to attention. I'm not at all surprised though: she has this effect on pretty much every male member of any species and Wheeler, in any case, is particularly vulnerable to female beauty.

Valentina spots us, an odd collection of young adults, looking slightly out of place in the luxurious surroundings. Quickly snapping her phone shut, she hurries over to us, somehow managing to glide elegantly across the floor despite her haste. Her eyes light up as she spots me, and I suddenly feel self-conscious in my worn Planeteer t-shirt and shorts, while all the other guests milling around are clearly dressed in the highest of haute couture. She embraces me in a warm hug, a stream of Russian flying out of her mouth so fast that I can only pick out a few words. 'You look great'. _Yeah right. Not next to you. _I hug her back warmly. Despite the fact that she unconsciously makes everyone around her feel woefully inadequate, she is my favourite cousin. Being the only close female relative, she is the one I have always talked to about any problems I have had. And I know she would come to me with her problems. If she _ever_ had any, that is…

She finally releases me and turns to my friends. She greets each of them with two kisses on the cheek. A fiery blush spreads across Wheeler's face the moment her lips make contact with his skin. I chuckle silently to myself. _Bozhe moy. _I will have to remember to tease him about that one later.

"I am so sorry I couldn't come to meet you at the airport," she says, when the introductions are done. "There was a meeting. The usual boring stuff; how many towels should be in the bathrooms. That kind of thing…" She laughs lightly, and the soft tinkle must be contagious because all the boys are laughing as if it's the funniest thing anyone has ever said. I look at Gi to see if she has noticed, but she is too enthralled by the view from the lobby's ceiling-to-floor windows: a vast blue carpet of ocean stretching into the horizon. Water as far as the eye can see. I can tell she is itching to get out there.

"Let me show you to your rooms. Well, actually it's one suite with two double rooms. There's an extra bed in one of the rooms. I hope you don't mind; we've been booked solid…" Valentina begins apologetically.

"That is not a problem," Kwame says quickly. "We're just so appreciate, um, glad…we're happy to appreciate you putting us up here."

I have to laugh to myself again; I have never seen him like this! He can't even look her in the face without stumbling over his words…Men!

"Oh, it was no problem for me. Really it wasn't," Valentina reassures us. She glances over at an idle porter and he immediately hurries over towards us and begins to load our bags onto a trolley. Incredible! She doesn't even have to speak and men rush to do her bidding!

"Besides, I am really looking forward to spending some time with my favourite cousin," Valentina grins a dazzling white smile. "I've managed to get some time off, so we have plenty of time to catch up!"

We amble towards the row of gleaming lifts at the far end of the lobby.

"So, what has Linka told you about our childhood?" Valentina begins casually, as we enter an wooden-panelled lift. She has a mischievous glint in her eyes. _Oh no…_

"Not much, actually," Wheeler replies, looking at me somewhat accusingly. "She keeps a lot to herself." Now, why did Wheeler have to say that and make me out to be some kind of recluse?

"That's not true, Yankee," I begin. "I just don't feel the need to talk about everything _all the time_, unlike some people…"

"Well, then, you've changed a lot," Valentina laughs. "When we were kids, you could never get this girl to shut up!"

Wheeler, Kwame, Gi and Ma-Ti laugh along with her and I feel my cheeks burning. I would return the favour if I could, but, of course, there's nothing embarrassing to reveal from her past. It was more a case of people embarrassing themselves in a bid to impress her…

"Wow, I think I'm gonna like you," Wheeler grins. "What more can you tell us about Linka?"

"Oh, she was too cute as a child!" Valentina exclaims. "One time –this is really funny– we went to this swimming pool…do you remember that time, my dear?" She glances at me, beaming. _Oh yes, _I think. _I definitely remember it. And it's not a story I'm keen to have retold. Not in front of all my friends…_But she either can't read the pleading look in my eyes or chooses to ignore it. "Well, I don't know if Linka told you, but when she was younger she was a little…um, heavy…"


	2. Chapter 2

By the time we exit the lift, my friends are shaking with laughter. It's a pretty funny story, I have to admit, smiling slightly.

"Linka, you of all people!" Wheeler grins. "And I thought you were a hygiene freak. No wonder you keep your room locked all the time!"

"Very funny, Yankee," I elbow him lightly in the ribs.

Valentina pulls a swipe card from the inside of her jacket and walks towards the only door in the hall.

"This is your suite," she explains, swiping the card through the reader and leading us into the exquisitely furnished entrance hall. "You can make as much noise as you like. You have the whole floor to yourselves and all the rooms are soundproof."

"Including the bedrooms? That's good news for us, right Linka?" Wheeler winks mischievously at me.

"Wheeler!" I hiss, as heat rises furiously to my face. He always makes the most inappropriate jokes.

"What?" He feigns innocence. "I meant 'cos we argue all the time. This way we won't annoy the other guests… You have a dirty mind, Linka. A dirty, dirty mind." He shakes his head, grinning. I glare at him and, turning away, see that Valentina is examining us intently. Ok, so I don't talk to her about _everything_…I never told her about Wheeler and his constant chasing after me. But it's only because I do not think it's important, not because I want to hide anything from her. It's just the way Wheeler is; no more worth talking about than his red hair or blue eyes, really.

As Valentina shows us around the suite, the wonderful surroundings lift me out of the sour mood Wheeler's tasteless teasing had put me in. She leads us towards a panelled door and pulls it open to reveal a small but cosy bedroom with two single beds.

"Hmmm…" Wheeler voice comes from over my shoulder, as he surveys the room. "The bed's a bit small, but I guess we'll just have to make do, huh, babe?"

Valentina laughs heartily along with him, while Gi and Kwame chuckle under their breath. My dark mood returns, and I give Wheeler my iciest stare. It's one thing to tease and embarrass me in front of the other Planeteers, but in front of Valentina…in front of my perfect cousin…Add to that the fact that I've barely ever mentioned Wheeler and now she's going to think we…Urgh, why does Wheeler always have to take his jokes too far? I know I must be blushing deeply and it angers me even more that there's no way to control it.

"Aww, come on, lighten up, Linka," Wheeler says, seeing the look on my face.

"I will lighten up when you _grow up_, but that's not going to happen anytime soon, is it?" I retort coldly, walking away from him into the room. The stiffness in my back must have been enough to warn him not to follow me. There is a lengthy silence, but I do not turn around to look at everyone else.

"Erm, come on boys, I'll show you your room…" Valentina says finally, uncertainly, breaking the tension.

"You ok, Linka?" Gi says gently, as soon as Valentina leads Wheeler, Kwame and Ma-Ti to the other side of the suite.

"Yes, why would I not be?" I say dangerously, daring Gi to challenge me. I open my suitcase and gaze at all the clothes that now seem so inappropriate for our elegant surroundings.

"Nothing," Gi mutters, then seemingly has a bold change of mind. "It's just that…you were a bit harsh with Wheeler…" She is careful not to look me in the face as the words fly quickly out of her mouth, wary of sparking me off again.

"Gi!" I cry. "He _does _need to grow up. Why does he keep having to make these jokes? Don't you dare laugh!" I can see a grin tugging at her face. "It was _not _funny. And now Valentina probably…"

"Oh, come off it, Linka," Gi sighs. "She doesn't think anything, ok? Stop worrying so much what people think of you. You're on holiday; relax a little! I'm gonna take a shower," she adds quickly, before I can respond.

Maybe she's right, I think, as she heads for our shared bathroom. Maybe I _did _overreact. But she has no idea what it's like growing up in the shadow of someone perfect, someone you look up to so much. It becomes really hard to take embarrassment, anything that makes you look even worse next to her.

"Linka?" Valentina's voice interrupts my thoughts. She is standing at the door. "Are you all right?" She looks so concerned that I wonder just how upset with Wheeler I had come across.

"Da," I nod, dropping to my bed, and reclining into the soft folds. "It's just that…" I pause.

"Linka, you can tell me anything," Valentina says kindly, as she folds her lean frame gracefully down beside me. She brushes a strand of hair from my face. "Come on…" she urges, seeing the reticence on my face. "This Wheeler guy…why does he bother you so much?"

I sigh. How do I explain to her when I don't even know the answer myself? I can hear the water running from the bathroom but I switch to Russian just in case.

"I don't know, Valentina," I start, gazing at the ceiling. "I don't know what it is about him, but he gets to me. He winds me up so much. And he does it on purpose, too. It's like he's poking at my mind, trying to see how far he can go before I'll explode!"

"I don't think he was being malicious, Linka," Valentina says.

"No, I know. I don't think he ever means to hurt me. It's just that I get the feeling he keeps making all these jokes because…I don't know…maybe he's trying to change me into someone else. The kind of person who would laugh at these jokes…I don't really know how to explain…"

"It seems to me as if he likes you just the way you are," Valentina smiles knowingly. "I mean, I'm just saying from what I've seen…" So she had noticed. Well, I guess, it must have been impossible with Wheeler being Wheeler….

"Valentina, he doesn't mean anything by it," I say quickly.

"By what?"

"By…by…the way he acts. That's just the way he is around girls. He is a flirt, that's all."

"So you're saying there's nothing between you two?" She is looking at me, eyebrows arched in scepticism.

"No, nothing. We're friends," I say firmly. "He just likes the chase. If I…if we were together he would get bored instantly!"

"Are you sure about that?" Valentina's blue eyes are piercing into mine, scrutinising every inch of my face for any tell-tale signs that I am hiding something from her.

"Yes!" _Look how he reacted to you,_ I think. _Clearly he's not serious about me…_

Valentina looks at me for a few seconds more then seems satisfied.

"Well, I can see you don't think so, but he seems like a pretty funny guy to me," she says lightly.

"He is. But I would like for him to be serious at least some of the time," I sigh.

"Now who is trying to change who?" Valentina counters. I throw a pillow at her.

"You're supposed to be on my side!" I protest.

"I am, am," she laughs. "All I'm saying is he seems like a really good guy. Maybe when you're more mature you'll realise it!"

"Excuse me?!" I am indignant. Sure, she's older than me by a few years, but that doesn't give her the right to patronise me!

"Oh, Linka don't take it the wrong way," she says quickly, wary of my temper. "I don't mean you're immature now. Just that…you live in this bubble on Hope Island. You don't know how horrible some men can be. So maybe when you gain a bit more experience with guys you'll appreciate the few good ones you meet…"

I frown at her.

"And which horrible men have you met?"

"It's nothing, Linka, don't worry your pretty little head. I have to head back to work." She makes to stand up, but I grab her hand and stop her.

"Valentina, which horrible men have you met?" I repeat.

She looks down at me with a sadness in her eyes I have rarely ever seen.

"It was a really long time ago, Linka. Remember that guy, Robert?"

"Yes…"

"Well, all I told you was that we were together for a few months and then broke up. Well," Valentina sighs. "We were supposed to get married. He proposed, and the next day I caught him with Suzanne, another one of the hotel managers!"

I can feel my eyes widening in shock. How come I never knew about this?

"What?!" I exclaim.

"I know!" Valentina smiles mirthlessly. "What I don't understand is _why _he proposed to me if he clearly didn't want to be with me and me only…"

"I'm so sorry, Valentina," I say softly. This is the first time she has ever come to me with a real problem. I had always thought it would be good to be the one giving the advice, and not the helpless one, but I feel terrible instead. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh, it was a long time ago. You had just started this Planeteer thing…I didn't want to bother you when you were so busy."

"Valentina, you should have come to me," I say, slightly hurt. "I mean, I have called you at all hours of day with the most stupid problems…" Valentina smiles.

"Yes, but it's different. You're like my baby sister. I can't burden you with my problems. You know what the worst thing is?" she adds, before I can protest. "They're still together. Robert and Suzanne. I have to see her everyday and he still sometimes comes here!"

"That's terrible!" I exclaim. "What a-"

"I know," Valentina laughs. "Every possible word to describe him, I've already thought of, trust me! Maybe you're right with your attitude to Wheeler. It's probably best to just stay away from guys. Even the nice ones will break your heart!"


	3. Chapter 3

In response to the question of how many chapters I'm going to write: I don't know! I had planned it to be a short one, and I'm hoping to wrap it up fairly soon, but who knows…:)

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"Hi, sorry I'm late," Valentina gushes, hurrying onto the front patio of the hotel, where we have been waiting for her. I look, surprised, at her sleek black pantsuit.

"Aren't you coming rock-climbing with us?" Wheeler echoes my thoughts. Valentina looks at us sheepishly.

"I'm really sorry. I know I promised to show you around, but I've really got so much work to do and-"

"I thought you said you'd taken some time off?" I cut in. Valentina looks decidedly shifty. I don't believe she couldn't get away because I've seen enough from the last couple of days to know that, around here, what Valentina wants, Valentina gets.

"I know, I know," she says regretfully. "But this is one of the busiest times of year, Linka, and today has just been crazy. I really have to stay here..."

"Do not worry, Valentina," Kwame says kindly. "We will be fine." She shoots him a grateful look, but I am still suspicious. My analytical mind is working in overdrive. For one thing, for a supposed busy period the hotel is not exactly swarming with guests. And there are at least 4 other managers…

"Oh, I haven't left you completely stranded," Valentina says quickly. "My friend's sister works for the tourism office. She's agreed to fill in for me. Oooh,there she is-". She waves as a tall, athletic figure heads towards us from across the patio. As she approaches, I can see that there is nothing particularly distinctive about her features –short brown hair, big grey eyes- but there is a certain warmth, and maybe even mischief, twinkling in her eyes.

"Everyone, this is Laura," Valentina introduces us.

"Hey! It's a pleasure to meet you all!" Her voice is light and cheerful, as she glances briefly at each of us.

"Sweet! Another American!" Wheeler exclaims. "Hmmm…let me see…New Jersey?"

"Yup, Jersey City," she grins. She may have plain features but she has a very pretty smile, I notice, feeling suddenly sour for no fathomable reason. "You sound like you're from the area, too."

"Brooklyn," Wheeler grins back. "Couldn't ya tell?"

"I thought so but I wasn't quite sure!"

Wow. I knew Americans were friendly, but the way they're grinning at each other, you would think they were the best of friends. Oh well, I guess it must be nice meeting up with someone from home. Still, anytime they want to get the rest of us in on the conversation is fine…

"Ok, well, I'm glad you two are getting along," Valentina smiles happily. "Now I don't feel so bad." _Huh? What about the rest of us? _"Anyway, I really have to get back to work. See you in the evening. Have fun!" She dashes away before I can say anything. I watch, bemused, as she hurries back into the hotel through the revolving doors. When I turn back to my fellow Planeteers, Wheeler is animatedly recounting some story to Laura. She hasn't said a word to the rest of us yet. Which is fine. A little rude, but fine.

I open my backpack and go through to make sure I have everything. Rifling through its contents I have a nagging feeling something is missing. What could it be? I'm sure I packed everything…Ah, the first aid kit! I can see it now, in my mind, on my bedside table where I had placed it ready to pack in the bag…

"Give me one minute; I've forgotten my first aid kit," I inform my friends. Wheeler and Laura don't even look up, engrossed as they are in their conversation. It doesn't bother me, of course, but I would have expected her to make an effort to welcome everyone else, too.

I hurry back into the hotel and head up to the suite to retrieve the first aid kit. On my way back down, I notice something strange in the café to the right of the hotel lobby. A woman is sitting at one of the tables, a cup of coffee and a newspaper on the table in front of her. Unless Valentina has a twin walking around in the same clothes, it's definitely her. But what is she doing lounging around when she just claimed she had a mountain of work? I want to go in there and confront her, but I can see the others waiting for me outside. I decide that it can wait till we get back, so I hurry back to the patio to join my friends.

"So, I've somehow found myself in Lower East Side in just my boxers…" Wheeler is saying, as I step outside into the warm sunshine. Laura is shaking with silent laughter. I glance from Gi to Kwame to Ma-Ti, but they shrug back at me. Apparently it's a New York story that the rest of us are not welcome in. Especially not me, I suppose. Wheeler has been distinctly cool towards me since that first day, so I'm not now surprised he's going out of his way to avoid talking to me. That's fine, though. I'm glad he has someone else to chatter incessantly to. It'll be nice to enjoy the holiday with a little peace and quiet. Yes, I definitely prefer it this way…


	4. Chapter 4

"I guess this kind of thing is easy pickings for you Planeteers?" Laura jokes, as we stand at the foot of the steep, rocky hill we intend to climb.

"You overestimate our abilities, Laura," Kwame says modestly.

I glance at Kwame, at his affable grin, puzzled. Even though the two Americans excluded the rest of us from their conversation the whole way here, no one else seems to think they have been rude. I don't mind that Wheeler is enjoying someone else's company, and I appreciate how difficult it is living so far away from home that you cling to anything and anyone that reminds you of it. But still…I don't think I like this girl if this in any indication of her character. I would have expected her to at least make an effort to welcome the rest of us, too.

"I dunno, Kwame," Wheeler says, a familiar look of mischief playing across his face. "Some of the stuff we can do is pretty cool. Like this… FIRE!" A jet of flame shoots out of his ring and sets a nearby bush alight.

"Wheeler!" I cry. It's not unlike him to do something silly to impress a girl, but this is plain irresponsible. "That was really-"

"Gi's got it," Wheeler interjects, barely sparing me a glance.

"Water," Gi says calmly, instantly extinguishing the flames.

"That _was _pretty cool," Laura says appreciatively. I look around at my fellow Planeteers but none of them seems even vaguely disturbed by Wheeler's blatant misuse of his powers. Even Kwame appears totally unperturbed as he checks his rock climbing gear.

"So now we can just use our powers whenever we-" I begin, slightly irritated.

"Linka, just let it go, for goodness sake!" Wheeler exclaims, rolling his eyes. "You don't have to make a big deal out of everything!" My mouth drops open. So he _is _still annoyed at me. I know I probably did overreact on that first day in the hotel but I was sure he would just brush it off as usual. Apparently not. Well, I would apologise if I could get a minute alone with him, in between him avoiding me and his new-found close friendship with Laura…Still, just because he's upset with me is no excuse for abusing his power.

"Wheeler, I'm just saying-" I begin, forcing myself to keep a neutral tone.

"Come on guys, no more fighting," Gi jumps in. I purse my lips and swallow back my words. Gi is right. Wheeler and I should not ruin what has been an amazing holiday so far.

"I'm sorry," I back down. There is silence but no apology is forthcoming from Wheeler. No one else seems to be waiting for one, either. _Fine, _I think, _maybe it's _me _being strange…_

"That looks pretty heavy," I hear Wheeler say. I turn and see that he is lifting Laura's backpack off her shoulders. "Here, let me take some of your stuff for you."

There is no offer to help me –or anyone else– with my things. Not that I need the help. It's just nice to be asked… I don't mind him ignoring me so much; I just don't like knowing he's angry at me.

"Ok, we're going to have to partner up for safety," Kwame says. "Gi?"

"Sure, I'll go with you," Gi nods.

This is unsurprising. As usual, the other Planeteers are colluding to leave me and Wheeler paired together…Well, at least it will give me the chance to apologise, which I have resolved to do, even if only for the sake of keeping this a great holiday for everyone.

"Great, I'll go with Laura," Wheeler says quickly. _What? _I turn to him, eyes wide, slightly taken aback by the eagerness in his voice. _But you always want to go with me…_

Is this his way of showing me he's still angry? By trying to hurt my feelings? Well, if so, he's definitely failing. Because I'm not at all hurt that he's not jumping at the chance to be alone with me. The only reason I would be upset is if I were jealous, but why would I be? He can do what he likes, and be partners with whomever he wants. Anyway, I haven't spent time with Ma-Ti in ages so I'm happy with the arrangement.

"That leaves me and you Linka," Ma-Ti grins, and I smile wanly back.

"I think you should be more worried about me causing you harm than these rocks," Laura jokes to Wheeler, placing a hand against the jagged surface of a rocky outgrowth.

"Don't worry; I'll catch you if you fall," Wheeler grins. I roll my eyes. He's so predictable sometimes. I should be grateful to Laura, I suppose, because at least now _I _don't have to deal with the constant flirting. She, at least, seems to not mind. Good for her.

I clamber up a smooth rock carefully, looking for footholds. I hear Laura laughing again and out of the corner of my eye see her climbing slowly, with Wheeler's hand on the small of her back for support. This moment of distraction costs me dear as my foot slips on a patch of moss. I fall the few feet back to the ground, scraping my knee on the way down.

Wheeler looks over at me.

"You ok?"

"Yes, fine," I reply stiffly, hoping no-one has noticed what had distracted me. "I grazed my knee. Just a little blood; nothing to-"

"Ok, cool," he interrupts. He turns back to Laura, his moment of concern gone as quickly as it had come.

_Ok, he's definitely _very _angry. _Normally he's all over me if I so much as break a fingernail. _Oh well, _I think, pulling out the first aid kit from my backpack, _I'm enjoying this freedom. _It's nice that he's keeping his distance, not constantly smothering me with his affections. Now I can really enjoy our time off.


	5. Chapter 5

_Even the nice ones will break your heart. _I can't get the words out of my head. All afternoon, as we scaled the mountain they tumbled around in my mind. Did Valentina really mean that or was she just caught up in the memory of Robert? It was such a strange thing for her to say. She's usually the hopeless romantic while I've always been the level-headed, rational one.

Now, looking back on Wheeler's behaviour all afternoon, I think that maybe she's right. Not about the breaking your heart part, of course, since I'm not in love with him, but sometimes even the 'nice guy' acts like a jerk…Jerk. When did I even start using –thinking– that word? Must be Wheeler's influence. I smile to myself and glance at him, strolling in between Laura and Gi as we head back into the town centre. As if he can feel my eyes on him he turns around to look at me, Kwame and Ma-Ti.

"I've never been so hungry in my life!" he exclaims. I smile. That's more like the Wheeler I know.

"You say that every time we do anything even vaguely physical!" I tease him.

"Hey, Laura, you wanna grab something to eat?" Wheeler inquires, completely ignoring me and turning to her.

"Sure!" she grins, a little too eagerly, in my opinion. "There's a great place down the main street that does fantastic American-sized pizzas!"

I wait but somehow I know the invitation is not going to be extended to me or anyone else. Already they are walking away from us, strolling a little closer together than is entirely necessary.

"Um…" I clear my throat awkwardly. Wheeler turns around and looks in my direction, but, somehow, it's as though he's looking right _through_ me and not _at _me.

"Yeah?" His face is completely passive. I can't read anything at all, which is strange, because usually his emotions are plastered across his face, as clear as daylight.

"Um…" What am I supposed to say? I suddenly feel like an idiot, especially as none of the others seem to be bothered by his behaviour. "N-nothing…"

"Oook….," he raises an eyebrow mockingly. "Jeez, Linka, you're acting really weird today. Stay out of the sun!"

_What? _I'm _the one acting weird? _

He turns around and he and Laura head off, already laughing at yet another in-joke.

"Hey, I saw a really nice-looking restaurant on the way into town." Gi is by my side but her voice seems to be coming from a million miles away. "You guys wanna go check it out?"

She is looking at me, Kwame and Ma-Ti inquiringly.

"Yes, I'm quite hungry," Kwame nods.

"Me too," Ma-Ti pipes up.

_So why did you nobody say anything just now?_ I look at my friends incredulously and wonder if Wheeler is right and the exposure to the sun has damaged my ability to think rationally, since I seem to be the only one who finds it strange that Wheeler just abandoned the rest of us and went off for a private meal with a tour guide we just met. I mean, I do not really care what he does, I just find it rude from him. And, as for Laura… Well, I've decided I definitely don't like her. What kind of person completely neglects their duties like that? She was supposed to be showing _everyone _around, but clearly she's reserved the special sights of Kanapa for Wheeler. It's totally unprofessional. For the sake of everyone's enjoyment, maybe I should ask Valentina if she can find someone else for us, someone who will actually include the rest of us…But I already know what she'll say. She'll think I'm jealous, which is just crazy. Valentina is obsessed with seeing romance where there is none!

Ma-Ti, Gi and Kwame are heading off in the opposite direction from Wheeler and Laura, who obviously couldn't wait to get away from us since they are already a fair distance away. I squint into the sunshine…it looks like…like they're holding hands! But the bright sunlight is hampering my eyesight so maybe it's just my imagination. In any case, it wouldn't bother me, of course; I am just a little surprised at how fast things are moving. But that's Wheeler, I suppose. He does tend to get carried away. Anyway, we're on holiday; he should have his fun. Just so long as when all this is over he remembers where his real loyalties lie. With us Planeteers, that is.


	6. Chapter 6

Well, I think a few of you can see what's coming, but let's just tease Linka for a little while more, eh? It's so much fun…

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"Did I ever tell you that Laura is a really pretty name?"

Wheeler's voice is so low that if I weren't straining to listen in on their conversation, I would never have heard him. I'm not spying on them or anything, but I would just like to know where they were the whole afternoon. Only because there could have been an eco-emergency and we could have needed to summon Captain Planet and Wheeler would have been nowhere to be found. He wasn't picking up his phone and had managed to close off all connections with Ma-Ti …And now, in their little corner of the living room he and Laura seem to be sharing yet another conversation they do not want to let the rest of us in on…

I know Gi, Kwame and Ma-Ti are just as upset as I am at their unexplained disappearance; they're just not showing it. I glance at Kwame, who is focused on the television screen. He may not say anything now but I just know he is seething at Wheeler's irresponsibility. He will surely have a few words with him later on, when no one else is around, so as not to embarrass him…

It's not like they were doing something important. I mean, listening in on Wheeler's conversation…it's just…inane. _Laura is a really pretty name. _Please!

Laura is giggling (as usual), her head so close to Wheeler's that her short hair brushes against his face. How inappropriate! Such brazen behaviour, with no consideration for anyone else in the room. Ma-Ti, poor young Ma-Ti, must be so uncomfortable. He shouldn't be exposed to this at his age. Even though he _appears_ to be deep into his novel, I know he is trying desperately to ignore Wheeler and Laura. Well, _I_ have had enough of this lack of courtesy. I stand up and yawn, slowly, deliberately.

"I am really tired," I say loudly. "I think I will head to bed."

"G'nite," a chorus of voice comes. But nothing from the cozy couple in the corner. I do not think they even heard me.

"It has been a really long day," I continue, walking slowly towards the door. Laura finally looks up.

"Oh, you're not going to bed already, are you?" _Like you care_, I think irritably. The look of concern on her face is obviously fake. "Can I talk to you for a second before you go?"

All I want to do is go and lie in my room, alone, but I nod and step into the doorway. She follows me and shuts the door behind us.

"Are you okay?" she asks quietly, even though we are both out of earshot of the others.

"_Da_, why not?" I say coolly, folding my arms across my chest.

"You've been a bit quiet," Laura says. How on earth would she know? I wonder. She doesn't know what I'm normally like, and it's not like she even tried to find out, what with her quest to monopolise Wheeler's attention.

"I didn't sleep well last night. I was tired, that's all," I lie.

I want to ask her why she is even here, in our suite, at this late hour. I guess Wheeler invited her to stay but doesn't she have a home to get to? Or is she planning on staying the night…I force the thought out of my head. _You're being stupid, Linka…_

Laura's brow is slightly wrinkled in…pity? This annoys me. Why does she think I need her pity? Does she think I'm any more uncomfortable with her and Wheeler's behaviour than any of the other Planeteers? Because I'm definitely not.

"Oh, ok, that's good. I thought it might be…" She pauses, seemingly unsure of whether to continue.

"What?" I say, slightly more defiantly than I had intended.

"Nothing…well, I guess it's just that…well, Vee told me about you and Wheeler and…" She pauses again. _Vee? _No-one ever gets to shorten my cousin's name, and now this girl has just taken the liberty. I am liking her less and less with every minute!

"Valentina told you what?" I ask tersely. "There's nothing to tell! We're not together and never have been!" I feel angry, especially at Valentina, because I had assumed our conversation was private. I make a mental note to add this to the growing list of issues I need to confront her about.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that," Laura says quickly, eyes wide. "All she said was that you were a little angry at him, so to keep you two apart for a while. That's what I've been trying to do."

_Well, you've certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty, _I think irritably.

"We're fine," I say shortly.

"Well, um, ok," Laura says, looking somewhat sceptical. "Well, then, I'm just gonna head back in there." She moves towards the door then turns back to me and grins. "You know, that Wheeler is a really charming guy…"

I force myself to smile back, but inside I want to scream. Wheeler is not being charming! He is being his usual idiotic, overly-flirtatious self and she is naively falling for it! I want to tell her that she doesn't mean anything to him, that he'll forget her the moment we leave the island. But it's none of my business. _I _know him, but if I say all this I'll probably just come across as jealous to her. And I definitely don't want that; I'd hate for her to think there was something between us, because that clearly isn't the case.

Laura is still stood by the living room door, looking hesitant. She looks at me again, sheepishly.

"Look, Linka, I know I don't really know any of you and I really don't want to come between anyone here so…if you have a problem with me….with me and Wheeler, just say so now."

"I have no problem," I say coolly.

"That's good," she says. "Because I think I really quite like him."

"Good for you. I hope you're really happy together," I say, keeping my voice even.

"Thanks Linka," Laura grins. She's apparently not very good at reading sarcasm, I think, as she turns to return to the living room.

"I missed you, babe," Wheeler's voice sounds out from behind the door. I shake my head in disgust. I can't believe Laura is falling for all this. I can hear her giggling like a daft schoolgirl.

"Oh, Wheeler, do not be so silly," her laugh rings out. I agree. He should stop all this silliness. And while he's at it, he should stop calling every and any girl 'babe'. It's degrading.


	7. Chapter 7

I am making my way gratefully to my room when there is a loud knock on the door. I groan and go to look through the peephole. Valentina is standing on the other side, looking impatient. She had been with us in the suite but had gone to take a call and was only now returning, half an hour later. More strange behaviour. This is the first time I am alone with her since this morning, and I have a lot to talk to her about. I open the door to let her in.

"Oh…Hi Linka!" Her expression becomes cheerful when she sees me. "What's been happening?"

"Nothing much," I shrug, stepping back to allow her into the suite. "Hey, I never asked you: how was work today?"

"Oh, you know…the usual. Boring meetings all day," she pouts.

"Oh, really?" I had wanted to give her the chance to come clean but it appears she isn't going to take it.

"Yeah. Swamped." She starts to make her way to the living room but I grab her arm and pull her back.

"Valentina, why are you lying?"

She frowns.

"Lying? I'm not lying; I was-"

"I saw you in the café this morning!" I exclaim, cutting her off.

"No, you didn't!" Valentina looks at me so incredulously that I start to think maybe I imagined the whole thing. But, no! I definitely saw her!

"Yes, I did!" I insist. This is _not _me being crazy or strange. She was there. In the café!

"It must have been someone else, Linka. As soon as I left you guys I went to a meeting," Valentina claims. "Why would I lie?" _I don't know_, I have to admit to myself. But I _do _know it was her. I guess I have plenty of time to figure out why she would deliberately abandon us to sit around doing nothing. But right now there is a more pressing issue on my mind …

"Ok, you're right, I must have been mistaken," I concede. "Look, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?" There is a faint trace of a smile on Valentina's face.

"This Laura girl…" I hesitate.

"Isn't she great?" Valentina now breaks out into a full grin. "I knew you would all get along so well!"

"Well, that's the thing…" I start. "I don't think she's…I'm not sure it's working out."

"How do you mean?" Valentina's grin fades. I pause, considering my argument.

"Well…she spent _all _her time with Wheeler, and made no effort to talk to the rest of us. And now…well, you saw for yourself. _I _think her behaviour is unprofessional," I say finally. Valentina snorts with laughter.

"Oh, Linka! Not everybody is like you: working, working, working all the time! I am not _employing_ her. She's just helping out in her spare time!"

My argument crumbles at these words. I hadn't really thought of anything beyond Laura's lack of professionalism as a reason to get rid of her. I had assumed Valentina would support me, not defend her. Surely, even if she doesn't share my work ethic, she can see that what Laura is doing is wrong?

"You don't think they're acting inappropriately?" I am inwardly pleading with her to agree with me. It can't just be me who is finding the whole situation distasteful, can it? Because if it is, that means I…no, that can't be! That would just be crazy.

"I don't think I understand you Linka," Valentina frowns.

"Laura and Wheeler!" I cry. "Do they have to be so obvious!" I lower my voice, glancing nervously at the living room door.

"I didn't realise it bothered you so much," Valentina says, arching an eyebrow.

"It _doesn't_," I say, somewhat testily. This is the reaction I was afraid of: that she would think I was reacting to everything oversensitively because I was jealous. That's a ridiculous idea, though. "It's just…irresponsible. I mean she's supposed to be looking out for us, not-"

"Bozhe moy!" Valentina interrupts me, laughing. "You're taking this too seriously, Linka! Everyone is on holiday here. No one is working. Well, apart from me…Irresponsible?" She laughs again. "You're all adults, not children playing with scissors! You guys don't need supervision. I just thought it would be nice if you had someone your own age to show you around!" She cocks her head to the side and gazes at me intently, a grin playing on her lips. I recognise that look. She is trying to read my emotions. Well, there is nothing to hide, I think irritably. Suddenly I want nothing more than to collapse into the warmth of my bed, with nothing but the darkness for company. I don't want to see or hear anyone for a very long time. It seems that no-one understands me and I feel very alone.

"Well…anything else?" Valentina inquires. "No? Good…Well, I'm actually heading off to bed now. I just came back to say goodnight to everyone."

"Goodnight," I say shortly, turning away from her.

"Night night!" she calls cheerfully, from over her shoulder as she heads to the living room. I find her behaviour surprisingly cold; normally she can see when something really bothers me –which the Wheeler and Laura issue does, but only as I'm sure it bothers everyone else– but she's either become inept at reading emotions or is deliberately ignoring my feelings.

As I move to open the bedroom door, I notice that my hands are trembling. Anger, I rationalise. It must be. Anger because _I'm _the one who's always had to deal with the consequences when people around me are unprofessional and irresponsible. Sooner or later – I just know it– Wheeler is going to get us all into trouble doing something stupid to impress Laura. Well, I won't cover for him anymore. I don't care what he or Laura do. As Valentina said, we're all adults. And, I decide, it won't be my problem when Wheeler inevitably breaks Laura' heart. I know him and he's just an irrepressible flirt. But out of sight, out of mind. As soon as we got back to Hope Island, it will be as if she never existed. Poor girl.

I enter the room and prepare for bed, suddenly and inexplicably feeling much better.


	8. Chapter 8

I'm just about to start off on my morning jog when a familiar figure bumps into me.

"Oh…hey, Linka," Wheeler grins apologetically.

"Hi." I try to grin back, but lately I don't feel like smiling much.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!" Wheeler exclaims. _I wonder why. _I eye him warily. Why is he being so friendly all of a sudden, after two days of ignoring my existence? "I miss hanging out with you. We should do something…"

I perk up. I knew it: he doesn't really care about Laura, after all!

"Da, sure," I say calmly, fighting down a massive grin. "How about tonight?"

"Um…" Wheeler suddenly looks shifty and is avoiding my gaze. "Well, I was going to go to dinner at that Chinese restaurant we saw the other day."

"That sounds good."

"Well, um…I had plans for two…but, um, you can come, too, if you want to…" He glances at me and then turns away again when he sees the icy glare on my face. So clearly he takes me for some kind of fool. He really thinks I would want to sit there and watch him and Laura on a date?

"You know what, Wheeler?" I say slowly. Inside, I am exploding with rage, but I know I have to keep calm, sensible, and rational. I don't want him to think I'm getting carried away with stupid emotions like jealousy. "I don't think it's such a good idea."

"Yeah, you're right. That was pretty dumb of me to ask you and-"

"I don't mean that," I say impatiently. "I mean you and Laura…in general." Wheeler's eyebrows rise slightly but the rest of his face betrays no response.

"Why not?"

"Because…you know you'll just break her heart when you leave," I reply. Somehow my reasoning doesn't sound as convincing out loud as when I went over it in my head…

"Break her heart?" Wheeler laughs. "Come on, Linka, we barely even know each other." _So why have you been all over each other since day one, _I wonder bitterly, but keep my thoughts to myself. "It's nothing serious," he continues. "We're just having a little fun. If you made the effort to get to know her you'd see she's a great gal. She reminds me a lot of you, actually, but really easy-going and fun!"

I can feel my eyes bulging in disbelief. First, he accuses _me _of not making the effort to befriend Laura, then he implies I am no fun to be around!

"Are you saying I'm not fun?" My voice is at a much higher pitch than normal. "I am fun! But there are times one needs to be serious and-"

"Right. That's pretty much all the time for you," Wheeler mutters.

"Really?" I say frostily. "Well, I'm glad I know what you really think of me. That you hate being around me and-"

"It's not like that, Linka," Wheeler interrupts. "It's just…sometimes you…you're a little uptight!"

"What?!" I'm practically yelling now. As if it's not enough for him to parade his affections for Laura in front of me –in front of all of us– he seems to be going out of his way to insult me.

"Linka…" Wheeler groans. "I knew you would take this the wrong way."

"How else should I take it. Or is 'uptight' a compliment in New York? Maybe I should go and ask Laura?" I retort sarcastically.

"Forget it, ok," Wheeler sighs. "Look, I'm not in love with her or anything, Linka. It's just nice to be with someone who doesn't play hard to get!"

"What do you mean by that?" Somewhere in my mind I know exactly what he means but I haven't prepared myself to have _that _conversation with him.

"You know what I mean, Linka," Wheeler says, looking straight at me for the first time.

"No, I don't. Anyway," I continue quickly, "all I'm saying is be careful how you treat her. And you could be more considerate of everyone else's feelings when you…when you're together. Ma-Ti and Kwame-"

"Ma-Ti and Kwame?" Wheeler repeats. There go the eyebrows again; arched in scepticism.

"Yes. Why are you smiling like that?" I ask irritably, as a small grin sneaks across his features.

"You really need to start being honest with yourself, Linka," he replies, his smile broadening.

I think I preferred it when he wasn't looking at me, because now that his eyes are fixed so intently on my face, I can feel a fiery blush creeping through my body.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" I say, as calmly as I can.

"I'll break her heart? Is that the real reason you don't want me to go to dinner with her?"

"Oh, not this again Wheeler…" I sigh. "I've told you before, there is no-"

"Ok, all right," Wheeler cuts in, his smile fading. "I hear ya. I will tone it down, ok?" Something about his quick concession annoys me; he didn't even try to fight back as he normally does whenever I tell him there's nothing between us.

"I didn't say tone it down!" I say hotly. I know I am contradicting myself, but I can't seem to stop the angry words flowing out of my mouth. "You two can do what you like. I do not care."

"All right, fine, then. We will," Wheeler replies, all traces of mirth now gone from his face.

"Ok," I reply coolly.

"Good. Well, I'm taking her out to dinner."

"Fine."

"We may not be back till tomorrow morning…"

"You're such a comedian, Wheeler!" I snap. I can feel my hands shaking. He has the ability to enrage me like no other person I've ever met!

"Who said I was joking?"

I sigh with frustration.

"Well, I can see that this has been a waste of my- _what _is so funny?" I ask sharply, noticing the return of the grin, tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Oh, I was just thinking about something Laura said earlier. She's so witty …it's nice being around someone new for awhile. Someone different."

_Ouch. _So, apparently I'm no fun, uptight, and unfunny compared to Laura. Clearly they have a lot more in common than Wheeler and I do, and get along better, but I never expected Wheeler to ram this fact home so brutally. He seems to be going out of his way to make sure I understand that the comparison between me and the American girl is not in my favour. Well, he's definitely made his point, and more harshly than necessary. I get it.

"I know, I know. She's perfect. You don't have to keep going on about it," I mumble. I suddenly can't look at him anymore, as a rush of emotions threaten to overwhelm me.

"She really is. I can't think of a single bad thing about her…" Wheeler begins.

"Whereas you can think of a million for me, clearly…" I try to sound light-hearted but I can feel my voice quivering. I am forcing myself to keep my face blank, but I can feel the tension of the last few days building up behind my eyes, and I don't know how long I can fight it for. I have to get out of here, away from him.

"Come on, Linka, you're just-hey, you're not going to start crying, are you?" He looks at me softly, genuine concern on his face for probably the first time since we've landed on this island.

"No!" I say defiantly, quickly blinking back the wetness collecting at the corners of my eyes. There is no way I'm going to let him see me cry. Especially not when I can't even explain to myself why I feel so sad.

"Linka, if it bothers you so much, I won't do it," he says gently. _What do you care what I think! _I think bitterly. _It's not like you've shown any consideration for my feelings lately. _But, then, _I _don't even know what those feelings are…

"I've told you, it doesn't," I say loudly. "Don't be so full of yourself, Wheeler; not everything revolves around you. I. Don't. Care." Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I hate the weakness that comes with being emotionally exposed like this. My defence mechanism whenever I'm on the verge of losing control is to put up walls around myself, to drive everyone else as far away from me as possible.

Wheeler's face darkens, so I know I've been successful but I don't feel victorious in any way.

"If that's the way you feel, fine," he says evenly, turning away from me.

"Fine!" I have to stop myself from shouting as walks quickly towards the hotel. He _can _do what he damn well pleases. I've seen over the last few days what an insensitive, uncaring, _idiot _Wheeler is, so Laura can have him!


	9. Chapter 9

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe this is nearly all over!" Gi sighs sadly. Personally, I can't wait to leave, but I keep my mouth shut. We –all of us Planeteers, plus Laura, of course– are heading down to the beach for a late afternoon swim. I'd rather be curled up in bed but I've resolved not to be a spoilsport for the last remaining days of our holiday.

"Last one down to the beach has to make dinner for everyone!" Wheeler yells suddenly and takes off. Everyone chases him, but I feel listless and don't follow suit. By the time I catch up with them, Kwame, Ma-Ti and Wheeler are already in the water, and Gi and Laura are laughing at something while applying sunscreen. I groan inwardly. So Laura's got Gi on her side, too. As if I didn't already feel alone.

"So, he's gonna show me this amazing place in Brooklyn," Laura is saying. I try to ignore the conversation as I have done the last few days but it's getting harder and harder. "Well, as soon as I get some time off, which isn't any time soon!" she continues, laughing lightly.

I don't feel like swimming any more. But if I go back to the hotel everyone will assume there's something wrong and I don't want anyone's pity. So I stretch out my towel on the sand, lay down and close my eyes, trying to block out everything around me.

"Aren't you coming, Linka?" Laura's voice comes from somewhere above me.

"Maybe later," I mumble, keeping my eyes firmly shut. I get the feeling that if I look at her something inside me might just snap. I hear her and Gi's hushed laughter as they walk down towards the shore. Lying here, alone, I know I should be enjoying myself. The sun is low in the sky, the air is fresh, and the beach calm. And yet…there is an internal turmoil overwhelming everything else. I can't seem to detangle one emotion from another, but whatever is going on, I know I'm not happy and it started here, on this island. If I can just get away, everything will be ok again….

I have been lying on my own for a long time (with none of my friends coming to check on me…not that I need them to; it would just be nice to know they cared), when I feel cool drops of water sprinkle my legs, and someone kneels down beside me.

"You awake?"

It's Gi. I feel disappointed. I thought maybe it would be…never mind.

"Yes. Just reflecting…" I say, raising myself up on my elbows. "Were you having fun?"

"Of course! You know me and the water…Linka you can't sit here all day. It's really great; the waves are just perfect and-" Gi begins excitedly.

"Maybe in a little bit," I grin at her exuberance. "Looks like you don't need me there, anyway," I add, gazing down in the direction of my friends, splashing around.

"Oh, Linka, don't be like that," Gi says, smile fading.

"Like what?" I turn to her, keeping my face carefully blank. Gi opens her mouth to reply but then thinks better of it.

"Forget it," she says finally. "Look, I think those guys are checking us out." She nods her head to the right. I glance briefly in the direction of a group of men playing Frisbee.

"So?" I shrug. I have no interest in them. I look down towards the ocean, where Wheeler has just pulled Laura underwater. Gi sighs then is silent for a long time.

"Linka-"

"They've been under for a long time," I mutter to myself, interrupting her.

"Who?" Gi is frowning at me. I ignore her and scan the scene in front of me. Still no sign of them. I am beginning to get worried. I've heard of powerful eddies drowning grown men…I stand up and begin to head down to the beach, when I spot a glint of red. Yes, it's definitely Wheeler, and, seconds later, Laura's head breaks the surface of the water beside him, laughing, as usual. Seething, I turn back to resume my spot on the beach. Typical Wheeler. I'm sure he thought it would be funny to have the rest of us worry and-

"Watch out!" A voice bellows from behind me, cutting into my angry thoughts. I turn and jump back as a Frisbee lands inches from where I had been standing.

"I'm so sorry!" A tall blond man is at my side, looking extremely embarrassed. I recognise him from the group of guys Gi pointed out earlier. "My friend has really bad aim…"

"Don't worry about it," I say, reaching my towel and Gi.

"I'm Matt, by the way," the blond adds. I nod and bend down to stretch out on my back. There is a long silence.

"Linka!" Gi hisses. I glance at her. She looks horrified for some reason.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse my friend. I think the sun's got to her," Gi apologises, standing up. Great: another person who thinks I've gone crazy. "I'm Gi."

"Nice to meet you, Gi," Matt smiles. I roll my eyes; I can see where this is going and I want no part in it. "My friends and I are gonna set up a barbecue; I know it doesn't quite make up for nearly decapitating your friend…" He turns to grins at me, but the smile fades immediately at the dirty look I throw him. "Well, I can see you're not interested. Oh well, see you around, I guess." He jogs off quickly before Gi can protest. She turns to me, eyes wide.

"Linka, what on earth is wrong with you?" she exclaims, as soon as he is out of earshot.

"Nothing," I say shortly.

"Well, you're giving off a terrible vibe," Gi says, accusingly. "And he was _cute_!"

"I don't care, Gi," I sigh. "I don't want anything to do with any of those guys. Or any other guy!" I add quickly, as she follows my gaze towards where Laura and Wheeler are messing around in the water. And definitely not that one, I think to myself.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you all right, Linka? You have been very quiet today," Kwame's voice says gently.

"It's nothing!" I snap. My mood has been darkening all day and the last thing I want is for everyone to start making a fuss about it. I just want to be left alone.

"That doesn't sound like nothing," Gi says, glancing somewhat nervously at me. We are all sitting in the living room, waiting for Valentina to take us out to dinner. Laura, of course, is here, too. But I don't even care anymore. I don't care about anything except getting away from here and back to Hope Island, where everyone behaves the way they're supposed to…

"Yeah, Linka. Your mood is putting such a downer on this holiday. Just tell us what's wrong," Wheeler adds. I glare at him and he shrinks back slightly.

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm spoiling your holiday, Yankee," I begin icily. "But maybe _you _should consider everyone else's feelings before you play your little jokes!"

"What?" The expression on Wheeler's face is one of genuine confusion. I don't blame him. I, myself, don't even know what I'm getting so worked up about. Not that it's going to stop me having my rant, which has been building up all day.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't know," I say bitingly. "This afternoon. When you disappeared underwater. It wasn't funny. We were all worried…"

"I wasn't worried," Gi pipes up.

"Me neither," Ma-Ti adds.

"I can't say I was concerned," Kwame says.

I glower at them. So it's just me who sees how reckless Wheeler and Laura have been these last few days? Fine. The others can ignore it, but when their behaviour finally gets everyone in trouble, I won't hesitate to remind them that I had warned everyone.

"Linka, you're overreacting, as usual," Wheeler says, seemingly oblivious to the dangerous look on my face. "We weren't in any danger. We were just having fun; something you could learn a thing or two about!" He rolls his eyes then turns to Laura and grins. I feel a large bubble of anger burst inside me.

"Why do you never take anything seriously?!" I cry. I can feel the blood rising to my cheeks, and am aware that everyone's eyes are on me, but I don't care. "You don't ever think about the consequences of your actions and-". I pause because Wheeler's face is stretched in a wild grin and everyone else also seems highly amused. This infuriates me further. Why is it that, lately, my anger only seems to elicit mirth from everyone?

"Erm, I have to make a phone call. Excuse me," Gi says suddenly, jumping up.

"I'll just go downstairs and check on Valentina," Kwame says, standing up, too.

"I will go with you," Ma-Ti says quickly.

Before I can even ask what on earth is going on they have disappeared from the room.

"You know what? I think this has gone far enough," Laura says, eyes twinkling. "I'll leave you to it."

She glances at me briefly, smiling, then exits the room. A few seconds later I hear the door of the suite open and close. I turn to Wheeler, frowning. What just happened?

"Leave you to what?" I ask. There is a familiar expression etched across Wheeler's features; his eyes are shining with…triumph? What is there to feel triumphant about?

"You honestly don't get it?" he says, grinning.

"No! I have no idea what is going on!" I exclaim. My head is spinning, because the pieces of the puzzle are now coming together but, for someone with an analytical mind, the process is painfully slow…Coherent thoughts are forming but they remain at the edge of my consciousness. I need Wheeler to spell it all out for me.

"Linka," Wheeler beings, voice slightly more sober. He takes a step towards me and, placing his arms on my shoulders, fixes me with an intense gaze. "This was all planned. Nothing ever happened between me and Laura. We never went on any dates, and I never promised to take her to Brooklyn, or anything else that drove you crazy!"

_What? Why? _I can feel my heart rate suddenly shooting up and colour flooding my cheeks.

"So you _don't _really like Laura?" My voice comes out as a whisper.

"No. Well, not like that."

"And…she doesn't like you?"

"Um…I'm not her type. Let's just say she plays for the other team," Wheeler grins wickedly.

"What? I don't-ooh…" The picture before me is getting clearer and clearer. But I still have many questions. "So if none of this was real…why did you do it?"

"Linka, are you serious?" Wheeler is smiling. "You _still _don't get it?"

"_Nyet_, Yankee!" I cry impatiently. I have spent the last few days in a state of emotional confusion and I need it to unravel as quickly as possible.

"To get to this stage, babe…to get you to admit you're madly in love with me!"

"But I did not-I-I," I begin, stuttering. My whole face feels like it's on fire. "I never-"

"You don't have to say it with words, Linka," Wheeler says gently. His hands drop from my shoulders and he takes my hands in his. "I've seen all I need to see. It took some time; you had so many chances to confess but, boy, are you stubborn! But I never gave up cos I knew you would eventually come to me. And, before you say anything, that's not me being arrogant, ok? It's just that I know you, maybe even better than you know yourself and I know I'm right for you. And now I know that you know it, too. So, what's it gonna be, babe? Are you going to admit it or are we gonna keep playing this game for a little while longer?"

I feel dizzy. My mind is trying to formulate a coherent response, one that doesn't show that I've completely lost my cool. But somewhere, not so deep down, I know that there is no reason to hide my feelings anymore. Wheeler has obviously seen right through me, to the parts that I had hidden even from myself. I can't keep anything from him, and why should I waste any more time trying? And now that the truth is so obvious, I feel stupid for blinding myself to it all along. Why did I pretend I had no feelings for him? Stubbornness? Desire for independence? Fear of being hurt? Maybe all of those things, maybe none of them. But whatever the answer is, I'm not going to let it get in my way anymore. Because, as I look at Wheeler's smiling, expectant face, I don't feel angry at his deception; all the confusing emotions of the last few days have stopped swirling around in my mind and have solidified into a single, concrete, warm feeling. Love. I love him. And, for the first time in my life, I let my emotions direct me and do what I've wanted to do for a very long time…

"That's what I thought," Wheeler beams, when I finally pull away from him.

"Well, just so you know," I say, drawing him back into my arms. "I don't like being tricked…" I lean forward and kiss him again.

"I know, babe," he says apologetically, once we are apart. "We didn't want to do it this way, but it had to be done. You-"

"We?" I interrupt. "So everyone knew about this?" _That would explain everything!_ I think silently.

"Well, yeah…It was Valentina's idea, really!" Wheeler confesses.

"And when did you plot all of this?"

"The first day we got here! Out of the blue she asked to speak to me alone, then told me she'd just spoken to you and could tell you were _crazy _about me. Like, completely, madly, insanely in love." He pauses and grins mischievously.

"Yankee…"

"What? Those were her words, not mine… Anyway, she asked me what I planned to do about it, and I told her nothing, cos I've been chasing after you for years and nothing ever worked. Then she said she had this friend, Laura…"

"I _cannot_ believe Valentina!" I shake my head incredulously. "She's insane!"

"You really should be down on your knees thanking her, Linka," Wheeler jokes.

"Don't ruin it now by being arrogant," I warn, but the broad smile on my face betrays my true feelings.

"Well, how often do I get to say I was right with you? Let me enjoy the moment. Go on and humour me…"

"Sorry?"

"I just want to hear you say it. Just the once will do…"

I grin.

"I love you, Wheeler."

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. I think you were mumbling…" I laugh and swat him lightly on the arm.

"I said, I LOVE YOU, ok? _Ya tebya lyublyu_! Are you happy now?"

"Very."

"Me too."

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Ok, so now I know not to attempt writing these when I don't have all the time in the world, as they inevitably end up far longer than I anticipated :-/. Sorry to keep you waiting. Hope you enjoyed it. :)


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